Ultimate Brined & Butter-Basted Thanksgiving Turkey

• Large roasting pan with rack
• Rimmed sheet pan + wire rack (for brining & drying)
• Large stockpot or food-safe bucket for wet brine
• Instant-read thermometer
• Baster or ladle
• Meat injector (for stock injection)
• Sharp chef’s knife & carving knife
• Cutting board, mixing bowls, silicone spatula
• Zip-top bag & ice (for breast icing)

Ingredient amounts are written for a 14–18 lb / 6.5–8.2 kg turkey by default (about 10 servings), and will automatically scale when you choose a different weight range above. The roasting method stays the same — only time and amounts flex.

• 1 whole turkey, 14–18 lb, neck & giblets reserved 1 whole turkey, 6.5–8.2 kg, neck & giblets reserved

• kosher salt (Morton; use a bit more if using Diamond)
• light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1½ tsp garlic powder
• 1½ tsp onion powder
• 1½ tsp dried thyme
• 1½ tsp dried rosemary
• 1½ tsp dried sage or poultry seasoning
• Zest of 2 lemons + 2 oranges

• kosher salt
• brown sugar
• 2 tbsp black peppercorns
• 6–8 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp dried rosemary
• 2 tbsp dried thyme
• 1½ tbsp dried sage
• 2 onions, quartered
• 8 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2–3 oranges, sliced
• 2–3 lemons, sliced
• apple cider (optional)
• Plenty of ice + cold water to fully submerge the turkey

• unsalted butter, softened (work under the skin and on top)
• 2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp minced fresh sage
• 2 tbsp minced fresh thyme
• 1½ tsp garlic powder
• 1½ tsp onion powder
• 1½ tsp smoked paprika
• Salt & pepper to taste (go easy — the turkey is brined)
• 2 apples, quartered
• 2 onions, quartered
• 3–4 celery stalks + 3–4 carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 whole garlic bulb, halved
• 2 lemons, halved
• Fresh herb sprigs & 2–3 bay leaves

• low-sodium turkey or chicken stock, warm
• melted unsalted butter
• 1½ tbsp soy sauce
• 1½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1½ tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder

• Turkey: 10–22 lb whole turkey, neck & giblets in the cavity
• Produce: lemons, oranges, onions, garlic, apples, carrots, celery, fresh rosemary, sage, thyme
• Dairy: unsalted butter
• Pantry: kosher salt, brown sugar, black peppercorns, bay leaves, dried herbs, apple cider, soy sauce, Worcestershire
• Stock: low-sodium chicken or turkey stock

1. Day 1 (Evening): Dry brine the turkey and park it uncovered in the fridge so the skin starts drying.
2. Day 2 (Morning–Night): Wet brine, then air-dry on a rack to set up that glassy, crispy skin.
3. Roast Day (4–6 hours before dinner): Breast icing, herb butter under the skin, injection, cavity aromatics, and into the oven.
4. Roast Day (Last hour): Rest breast-down, then flip, baste with butter and blast with high heat to finish the skin.

1. Day 1 — Evening (Dry Brine, 15–20 min hands-on)
   Unwrap & season. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey cavity; save them for gravy. Pat the bird completely dry inside and out. Stir together all dry brine ingredients. Season the cavity lightly, then gently loosen the skin over the breasts and thighs with your fingers and work some of the mixture directly onto the meat. Rub the rest all over the outside, including under the wings and in any creases. Set the turkey on a rack over a sheet pan, breast-up, and refrigerate uncovered 12–24 hours.
2. Day 2 — Morning (Wet Brine, ~20 min active)
   Build the wet brine. In a large pot, bring 3–4 cups water750–950 ml water to a simmer with the salt and brown sugar until dissolved. Add peppercorns, bay, dried herbs, onions, garlic, citrus slices, and cider if using. Remove from heat, add ice and cold water until you have enough very cold brine to fully submerge the turkey.
   Lightly rinse off excess dry brine from the turkey (don’t scrub), then pat dry again. Submerge the turkey in the cold brine, weighing it down if needed. Keep it below 40°F / 4°C by topping with ice. Brine for 8–12 hours.
3. Day 2 — Evening (Air-Dry, 10–15 min active)
   Dry the bird for crispy skin. Remove the turkey from the wet brine, discard the brine, and pat the turkey bone-dry, especially in creases and under the wings. Set it back on the rack over a sheet pan, breast-up, and refrigerate uncovered 8–16 hours to dry the skin. This is huge for blistered, glassy skin.
4. Roast Day — 2½–3 hours before planned roast start
   Bring to a controlled chill. Pull the turkey from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the herb butter in a bowl until smooth and cohesive.
5. Roast Day — 1½ hours before roast start
   Ice the breasts. Place a zip-top bag full of ice directly over the breast area for 20–30 minutes. This keeps the breasts slightly cooler than the legs so they finish closer together. Remove the ice and pat the breast skin dry again.
6. Roast Day — 60–75 min before roast start
   Butter under the skin & cavity aromatics. Preheat the oven to 325°F165°C. Gently loosen the skin again over the breasts and thighs, being careful not to tear it. Spread about two-thirds of the herb butter directly under the skin in an even layer over the breast and thigh meat. Rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the turkey. Lightly season the skin with pepper (and just a pinch of salt if you know you didn’t overdo the brines).
   Stuff the cavity loosely with apples, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, lemon halves, and herb sprigs. Don’t pack it; you want hot air to circulate. Set the turkey breast-up on the roasting rack over a bed of extra carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in the pan if you’d like better drippings.
7. Roast Day — Just before the oven
   Optional injection. Whisk together the warm stock, melted butter, soy sauce, Worcestershire, poultry seasoning, and garlic powder. Using a meat injector, inject small amounts into the thickest parts of the breasts and thighs, angling the needle so you don’t pierce the skin. Wipe off any leaks and re-smooth the skin.
8. Roast — Main Cook
   Into the oven. Place the turkey in the preheated 325°F165°C oven, breast-up. Rotate the pan every 45–60 minutes for even browning. Baste lightly with pan juices if they’re accumulating, but don’t overdo it — you don’t want to wash off all the butter.
   Use your weight range as a loose guide:
   • 10–14 lb (4.5–6.5 kg): Plan about 2¾–3½ hours. • 14–18 lb (6.5–8.2 kg): Plan about 3½–4¼ hours. • 18–22 lb (8.2–10 kg): Plan about 4¼–5 hours.
   Start checking with an instant-read thermometer in the deepest part of the breast and thigh during the last hour. You’re looking for about 155°F / 68°C in the breast and 175–180°F / 79–82°C in the thigh.
9. Rest — Breast-Down, Then Crisp
   Flip and rest smart. When the turkey hits temp, carefully lift it from the pan, set it onto a clean board or platter, and flip it breast-down. Tent loosely with foil and rest like this for about 30 minutes. Gravity will push some of the juices back into the white meat.
   While it rests, increase oven temp to 475–500°F245–260°C.
10. Final Blast — 5–8 minutes
    Skin like glass. Flip the turkey back breast-up and transfer to a clean roasting pan or sheet pan. Brush lightly with any remaining herb butter or a bit of melted butter. Roast in the blazing-hot oven for 5–8 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crisp. Watch it closely — you’re crisping, not burning.
    Rest 10–15 minutes breast-up before carving so the surface calms down and is easier to slice cleanly.
11. Carve & Plate
    Showtime. Remove legs and thighs, then wings. Follow along the breastbone to remove whole breast lobes, then slice across the grain into thick slices. Arrange white and dark meat on a warm platter with stuffing, potatoes, green beans, and rolls around it. Finish with herbs and citrus for the BiteTalk shot before you dive in.

Store carved turkey in shallow airtight containers with a bit of stock to keep it moist, up to 3–4 days. Reheat covered with foil in a low oven with a splash more stock until just warmed through. Skin will soften, but you can crisp a few slices under the broiler or in an air fryer for leftovers.

Approximate values for one serving of turkey with skin, plus brine and butter, assuming ~10 servings from a 14–18 lb turkey. Served without sides. Not medical or diet advice — adjust portion size and ingredients to fit your needs.